Health officials are looking into a Zika case in Utah with an unknown cause

Dr. Dagmar Vitek, Medical Director, Salt Lake County Health Department, speaks during a news conference Friday, July 8, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Assocated Press Health officials said Monday that they are investigating the case of a person in Utah who has contracted Zika virus through unknown means, one of the more mysterious cases of transmission yet involving the virus.

The individual, who has not been identified, helped care for a Utah man who died earlier this month and who was reported to have had exceptionally high levels of the Zika virus in his system at the end of his life.

Officials said the individual had not recently traveled to a country where Zika is transmitted and had not contracted the virus sexually. State officials said there is no evidence that Aedes mosquitoes — the species known to transmit Zika — are present in Utah.

"Our knowledge of this virus continues to evolve and our investigation is expected to help us better understand how this individual became infected," said Dr. Angela Dunn, deputy state epidemiologist for Utah. "Based on what we know so far about this case, there is no evidence that there is any risk of Zika virus transmission among the general public in Utah."

Zika can be passed sexually from women to men, CDC says for first time Public health investigators are interviewing the person and family contacts to learn more about the types of contact they had with the deceased patient, a statement from the health department said. They are also collecting samples for testing from family members and others who had contact with the deceased patient while he was ill.

In addition, they are trapping mosquitoes to test in the communities where the man who died and his relatives lived.

"We're doing our part as public health officials to learn more about the virus and about this specific case," said Gary Edwards, executive director of the SLCOHD. "In the meantime, the public, and especially pregnant women, should continue to take recommended steps to protect themselves from Zika virus."

Zika virus can be found in blood, saliva, and semen. Although sexual transmission is known to have occurred, it's still unclear whether the virus can be transmitted through saliva.